A linking verb connects the subject to a description: the soup itself is delicious. An action verb tells what someone does; carefully describes the chef's tasting.

The idea

After be, seem, become, look, sound, feel, smell or taste in a linking use, choose an adjective that describes the subject: feels soft, sounds sensible. The same verb can have an action use with an object: tasted the sauce carefully.

Examples

  • The soup smells delicious.
  • The blanket feels soft.
  • The hallway looks narrow.
  • Your plan sounds sensible.
  • The tea tastes bitter.
  • The chef tasted the sauce carefully.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not choose by the verb alone; decide what the following word describes. The tea tastes bitter describes the tea, not how it performs an action. Well can also be an adjective meaning healthy, so I feel well is valid.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. The soup smells ___. (delicious / deliciously)

    Show answer or example answer

    delicious

    Delicious describes the soup through its smell. It is an adjective complement, not a manner adverb.

  2. Choose the correct option. The chef tasted the sauce ___. (careful / carefully)

    Show answer or example answer

    carefully

    The chef performs a tasting action on the sauce. Carefully describes how that action is carried out.

  3. Choose the correct option. Your plan sounds ___. (sensible / sensibly)

    Show answer or example answer

    sensible

    Sensible describes the plan as it seems to the listener. The linking use of sounds calls for this adjective.

Use it today

Describe something's appearance, texture and flavour with three linking verbs. Then write one sentence about a deliberate action, using an adverb to explain how it is done.